Can't always get what you want
by purplestarr59
Summary: Elvira always knew she wasn't cut out to be a Super Hero, so she pushed to be normal. She left her best friend and family to stay away from it all. But what is normal?


LJ sat on the front step of the porch as music from the party pounded from inside the house. She was working her way through her contacts in her cell phone trying to figure out someone that wasn't doing the exact same thing as the people in the house, just a few towns away where she was from. Her brother had answered, his voice giving away the drinks he has already consumed as had the rest of their friends. Sam would have come, if he wasn't the reason they were in Maxville in the first place and delayed at the airport in a city she forgot the name of. She couldn't call her mom or aunt, both were off on a spa weekend together not to mention the repercussions if they found out about this.

With a sigh she gave up on finding help at the moment and went back inside the party to keep an eye on her cousin and find the cute boy from earlier.

Before getting out of the car Warren played the video message on his cell phone again. He didn't think he'd ever have to do this, especially for her, but there she was on the screen dancing on a pool table with a some guy and Sabrina, a girl they knew from middle school. The party was at Sabrina's house, he had heard about it from some public school kids at the Paper Lantern earlier. He'd been to one of her parties awhile back and knew how they were and like most parties in Maxville held by public school kids, Sky High kids liked to crash them which is how he knew she was there. His ex had sent the video along with the caption **"Wow, looks like the hippo has changed since she ditched you."**

The party was being contained to the house from what Warren could see as he walked through it. He wove through the crowds looking for her or at least Sabrina, after looking through the first floor he made his way to the basement. He saw Sabrina the second he made it down the stairs. The tall, full figured girl with straight brunette red hair was dancing with slim slightly taller guy with a brunette buzz cut and goatee. He made his way towards the table to ask Sabrina where she was, but he saw her when the couple moved.

Elvira was swaying her large hips to the music and dancing happily with the couple. From the big smile and her bright red cheeks, it was a drunken happiness something he had never seen from her. She had the stud in her lip that she had gotten for her 14th birthday, but the rest of her had changed. She was more feminine; make-up on, hair up in a high curled ponytail, nice jeans and a square necked pink and purple striped shirt. It suited her better than the messy bun hair, old jeans and band t-shirts she used to wear. He was kind of in awe for a moment before he realized as she spun in a circle while Sabrina's male friend held her hand above their heads like a ballerina, she started to loose her balance. He moved quickly without a thought to catch her as she fell.

Instead of catching her he fell with her, forgetting that she out weighed him by a quite a bit and getting the wind knocked out of him. For a second he just held her, until she and just about everyone in the room looked at him. He saw the confusion in her drunken autumn brown eyes.

"Oppsie. Sorry. Wowza you looky like Warren." She giggled pulling away from him as a petite dark haired girl about the same height as Elvira helped her up. "LJ looky, does he look like Warren with shorty-er hair?" Warren had regrettably gotten his hair cut short the year before and was still growing it back to it's original length.

The thin girl looked at him, her wavy dark hair slightly hiding her face but he knew by her name it was Elvira's cousin. She was having a hell of a time trying to get Elvira to stand up without swaying, until Sabrina from the sitting position on the edge of the pool table she had taken, grabbed Elvira's shoulder pulling her to lean against the pool table. By now most people had lost interest and proceeded to continue with the party.

"E, Hun, it is Warren." Sabrina looked at him with a slight glare, protectively pulling Elvira closer to her and LJ sticking to her side to keep her balanced. Warren finally gained the ability to breathe and get off the floor. He stood a few feet from the 3 girls and the blonde male who stood behind Sabrina.

Elvira looked at Sabrina funny. "Nuh uh. He's to much of a..a...a stick up his butt to wanna come to a party. 'Sides Warren has red in his hair." Warren ran his hand through his now messy hair pulling the naturally red streaks to the front. Elvira's jaw dropped as the other 2 girls watched her closely.

"HOLY SHIT!" Elvira's voice carried a bit louder than a normal person's and Warren could smell the alcohol on her breathe as his hair moved like a light breeze hit it. He needed to get her out of there before she slipped up big time.

"I see you got my message. I hope she didn't break anything when she landed on you, 2 tons is your limit isn't it." He recognized the voice as his ex Brittany as he saw LJ lounge tackling her onto the floor. Brittany with her experience in combat training was quick about gaining dominance on the more petite girl, before she could land a punch there was Elvira grabbing her arm. With a fluid movement Elvira pulled Brittany up to her feet and slamming her small balled up fist into the blonde's face.

Warren was in shock, Elvira had never hit anyone no matter what they had said or done to her. She had always just taken the bullying that happened when he wasn't around to defend her. Elvira said something he couldn't hear, letting go of Brittany so she could back away towards a group of Sky High kids Warren vaguely recognized, as she held her face in her hands. The music had shut off as LJ got off the floor.

The blonde guy was standing on the pool table with his hands cupped around his mouth. "IF YOU KNOW THE BLONDE BITCH PLEASE KINDLY COLLECT YOUR FRIEND AND GET THE FUCK OUT. AND IF ANYONE ELSE FEELS THE NEED TO DISRESPECT PEOPLE LEAVE NOW. THANK YOU, CONTINUE HAVING A GREAT TIME." Warren recognized the guy helping Brittany as Mason, the guy she started dating after him. The music started up again and he looked around for Elvira who was now sitting in an arm chair, her eyes closed. Sabrina was already standing next to her, again blocking him from her.

Someone tapped his shoulder, he turned to see LJ standing almost a foot shorter than him. Her hair was a bit messy from the fight but he didn't see any marks on her. "Warren, remember me right? Ellie's cousin LJ. See I got a bit of a dilemma and I could really use your help." She looked at Sabrina and nodded towards Elvira, Sabrina answered with a nod back. LJ grabbed Warren's arm pulling him towards the backyard where it was quieter. "See we walked here and weren't really planning on drinking much, I don't know what happened to her but I can't walk her home like that. If she falls so do I, plus she's kind of passing out and I know she probably really hurt your feelings the way she left and I know she's sorry but to stubborn to admit it and I bet even though she did that you probably still care about her since you kind of let her land on you. And I was wondering.."

"You need a ride home?" She nodded. "That's why I came anyway." He told her before she could finish. She also noticed that he was looking passed her towards the windows, probably trying to keep an eye on her cousin. Something told her that her cousin's abrupt disappearance from his life had taken a toll on him.

"FYI, she might be a little hostile, she's still holding a grudge." LJ added as they walked back into the house. Sabrina was perched on the arm of the chair, her eyes daring Warren to come near the sleeping girl. "Brina, Warren is gonna take us home." Sabrina turned her glare towards LJ. "The hell he is, he's the reason for all of this. I'll get Jeffy to take you." Jeffy was the cute guy LJ had met earlier and until she found Elvira chugging the last of a bottle of Captain Morgan, she had been flirting with him.

"Your brother has been drinking upstairs and how is he the reason she got shit-faced?" LJ's stance became defensive with her arms crossed over her chest. Warren was wondering the same thing. Sabrina pointed towards the doorway that Brittany had gone out though. "That bitch said something to her about him, if she would have told me sooner I would have dealt with it before things got bad but now we're passed that." Sabrina's accusing finger pointed at Warren now. "And he hurt her if you can't remember that's why she moved away in the first place. She's happy now without him around, why fuck that up? Even for a ride."

"Because she needs to get to her bed to sleep it off and I can't drive or walk her home alone." LJ told her. "I have to deal with her when she's sober later, not you. She'll understand if it's for the better, especially with a sober driver."

"Sabrina, she's passed out. Just let me take her home, wether she hates me or not I want to know she's safe." Warren admitted stepping closer to Elvira. Sabrina rolled her eyes but moved from her spot and out of his way.

"Fine but if you do anything to hurt her, I swear Warren I will make your life hell. I want her to visit more, not me visiting her all the damn time." LJ elbowed Sabrina to stop her from finishing the sentence. Warren's eyebrows arched, she had moved close enough for Sabrina to visit, but neither girl saw it since he was facing away from them wrapping his arm around her back under her arms to get her standing. Elvira's eyes opened into slits, blinking a few times and closing again, her legs going limp almost making Warren drop her. "Whoa, Vi. Come on wake up." He jostled her a little, making her eyes open again. "Just stay awake until we get you to the car." Warren carefully and slowly made his way to the stairs, both girls joining in getting them out to the car. LJ went first telling people to get out of the way as Sabrina and the blonde guy followed making sure to be there if they fell. After a few words with Sabrina at the front door the two walked to Warren's old black Ford Taurus.

On the way they made small talk,Warren starting with a big question. "I assume she's been living with you?"

"Yeah."

He waited a second, readjusting his hold on Elvira's side and asked another."Is she happier?"

"I think so, in some ways. She misses her mom and Sabrina, even Tom sometimes, and you, though she doesn't say it. But she's doing what she wanted, she's normal. She's got a job, doing better in school, has lots of friends and some pets. None of it has to do with well, what you are." The last of the statement was in a lower voice than the rest.

"So you know about what we are?" He asked just as quietly, wondering how much Elvira had told LJ. She may have not wanted to be part of the Hero world but she knew the rules when it came to citizens.

"Kind of, I know what Ellie does and I know you go to the school Tom teaches at but other than that. Nope, nothing." She shrugged, there wasn't anyone else out on the street so she talked normally. "Ellie said she shouldn't have even told me that about you. But I promise not to tell anyone that you're not normal, like you ever were." She ended with a small chuckle. Warren even crack a small half smile.

"Thanks." Warren stopped at the back door of the car to pull out his keys and unlock the door."What's with calling her Ellie?" Since she was younger Elvira had demanded to be called by her full first name or Vi or her special nickname by him at least to his knowledge.

While LJ held the door Warren carefully moved Elvira into the backseat where she promptly laid down, curling up on her side. "I don't know, she asked us to call her Ellie. By the way nobody is home, Tom is at his girlfriend's place and Aunt Margot(pronounced Margo) is out at the spa with my mom."

"You're not going to tell me anymore are you?" Warren got the hint to LJ quick subject change.

"She's already gonna kill me for the ride, anything else, well you're on your own." LJ went to open the door to get in the passenger's seat since there was no room in the back for her. She swayed a bit grasping the roof of the car. "Whoa, dizzy."

Warren looked up over the roof of the car."You alright over there?" LJ looked over the roof at him."Not so much, I think I'm drunkener than I thought."

"Do you need some help?" She waved him off getting into the car.

By the end of the block LJ was passed out, head leaning against the window leaving Warren to drive the two girls home in silence.

* * *

After Warren had gotten LJ into the Fitzroy/Boomowski residence he had decided it was best to put her in Elvira's bed and bring Elvira to the couch for the night since he didn't think he could carry her up the flight of stairs. He was strong but not that strong or coordinated if he had to carry her instead of just help her walk. Besides he was going to stay and watch over her since LJ wasn't coherent enough to wake up completely, he could deal with the old recliner for a night.

Out in the car Elvira wasn't in any mood to sit up or get out of the car, grumbling and trying to smack him away. Warren eventually got annoyed and grabbed her by her arms hauling her up to a sitting position and then her feet without letting go of her. Her short thick arms found their way around his broad torso, her cheek pressed against his chest like when she would hug him, a feeling that made a tiny part of him content.

"Come on Vi, let's get you inside." He all but whispered, wrapping his long muscular arm around her as she held him. It made for an awkward walk but Warren got her inside the house and on the couch without falling or running into anything. Once she was laying down, lightly snoring he went to get blankets and pillows for the two of them. He had been to her house so many times that it was like his second home and finding what he needed was as easy as it was in his own house.

He put the pillow and blanket for himself on the old un-matching recliner that Boomer refused to put in the basement where his area of the house was. Elvira snuggled into the blanket as soon as he laid it over her, she had always loved blankets even in the summer heat. Trying not to wake her up he carefully lifted up her head slipping the pillow under it. Then he removed her glasses but doing so stirred her. Her eyes fluttering open a bit. "Warren?"

"It's okay Vi, go back to sleep." He told her softly, setting the glasses on the side table with one hand and brushing the loose hair from her face with the other. Her hand moved over his on her cheek, her lips turning up into a smile.

"You're warm like the real Warren, I miss that." She thought she was dreaming about him, she did that a lot. Then she said something so quiet Warren couldn't make it out so he leaned closer.

"What Vi?" Her hand moved from her cheek to his.

"I love you." And with that she leaned up kissing him squarely on the lips, holding him for a second with her hand firmly on his face. He was stunned, not knowing what to do, but let his lips move with hers as a warmth developed from his lips and went through out his entire insides. Her lips were soft and plump against his own, her cheek warmed from blushing under his hand and her eyes closed softly as she sighed. He wasn't sure why but he let himself linger against her lips as her hand slipped away from his face. She laid back down, eyes still closed and licked her lips. She mumbled and fell back to sleep with a smile.

Warren knelt there stunned still, at some point his hand had fallen from her and now held him up from falling into her and the couch. He responded in a very unnatural way for him, he leaned over kissing her on the cheek and whispered. "I missed you, Vi. Please don't leave me again."

* * *

LJ slid on her socks to the front door after running down the stairs cell phone still in hand. She quickly unlocked the door opening it to let the drenched person in. "LJ is that you? What's going on?" The sleepy gruff voice of Warren startled her for a second as she shut the door when she heard footsteps coming her way.

"Geez Warren, what are you still doing here?" She turned facing him. Out of her peripheral vision she saw Elvira moving on the couch in the living room behind him. Then drips of cold wetness touched her. "SAM! You're getting me wet." Behind her taking off a wet jacket was her brother's best friend and their neighbor Sam. His short brunette hair and red bandana that circled his head drenched with rain but a smile on his face none the less.

"Sorry L. Where's Ellie? And who's this guy?" He said again getting her wet with his jacket. LJ turned a bit to look between the two guys, Warren stood a few inches taller than Sam with his arms crossed, while Sam was still busied himself trying to get as much wetness off as possible. Sam definently couldn't beat Warren in muscle and hotness departments, but damn if he couldn't make up for it in sweetness and charm.

"I'm in here Sam." Elvira all but groaned from the couch still laying like she was asleep.

"Ellie got a little hammered last night and her friend Warren drove us back since Louie and Co. were all just as gone back home." Even Sam's face gave a questioning glance towards Elvira's way. He distinctly remembered her swearing off more than one drink a party after a really bad hangover the first time they got her trashed. He had also heard a little bit about Warren, mostly that he was Ellie's friend she was pissed at after some argument and never wanted to speak to him again. His inner protector for his friend rippled through him.

"L maybe he should leave, if she's been drinking it's probably not best to piss her off. Remember what happened to Louie?" LJ bit her lip in grimace at the thought of her brother's bruised and lacerated cheek, even though Ellie was less than a foot away and there was nothing on her hands that should have cut Louie's face.

"Maybe I don't want to leave." Warren told him holding his posture. LJ was starting to feel like a mouse between lions fighting over the same territory, Elvira. And just as the thought came, so did Elvira into the hall.

"God Sam shut up, I'm not drunk anymore." She looked at him trying not to look at Warren who was now looking down at her. "As for you little cousin, get the guest out while I show Sam to the room he can stay in."

Warren grabbed her by the arm before she could turn and go towards the stairs. "Vi, you can't just ignore me. I know you're mad at me but please can we just talk." The hefty girl set her jaw, trying to hold back the tears that wanted to flow with the memories of every time he called her that.

"Warren, we did talk and you, you didn't believe me." With that she pulled her arm from his grasp. Sam stepped between them to follow her with his luggage. LJ placed a hand on Warren's bicep as the two headed up the stairs.

"I'm sorry Warren." She really was sorry, she could see the hurt in both of their eyes when they talked. She wished neither of them were so stubborn, him for not believing her then and her for not listening to him now. Warren stepped away from her touch to grab his jacket from the living room.

"Does she remember things when she drinks?" Warren asked out of the silence, sliding his jacket on after grabbing out his keys.

"Sometimes." LJ stood leaning against the wall with her shoulder. "Look I know she's being a bitch but eventually she'll get over it. I mean you're not even with that blonde chick anymore are you?"

Warren shook his head as he passed. "No, Vi was right,she was using me to get popular. A month after Elvira left she dumped me for the student council president, he's popular and dumb, her prefect match. " When he opened the door he paused. "Can you tell her I'm sorry and if she remembers what I said to her, that I meant it."

"Yeah. Thanks again for helping."

"No problem. And for future reference, because our genes we tend to sober up quickly, just give her lots of water. Bye LJ." He graced her with a small half smile before stepping out into the rain.

"Bye Warren." She closed the door,locking it behind him and went up the stairs. Hidden on the turn of the stairs sat Ellie, face in hands sobbing. Without a word LJ sat next to her and hugged her. "Shh. It's okay Ellie. It's going to be fine. Tomorrow we'll go home and forget about this."

Elvira shook her head in her hands before looking at LJ, her eyes were full of tears in the dim light. "No it won't, I can't forget this. I told him I love him and kissed him, and the worst part is... he kissed me back." Shock rushed over LJ's face.

"So. Go stop him, do something." She urged. Warren didn't live to far away, she remembered that much about coming here.

"I can't. I don't belong in his world, LJ." Her lips were trembling again. All LJ could do to not fight with her at 4 in the morning was hold her tightly as she cried.

"Is everything alright?" Sam called from the top of the stairs, dressed in basketball shorts and a beater. Elvira looked to her cousin with a pleading look to not tell him.

"Yeah. Sammy just go to bed, we'll head home around 9 tomorrow." Instead of listening to LJ, Sam came down the stairs stopping right behind Elvira.

Leaning down he hugged her the best he could. "He's not worth it Ellie. Just a looser in aluminum foil." And kissed her on the top of the head. "Goodnight fair maidens, I shall see you in the wee light hours of the day. For tomorrow we join the other peasants at the ball and rule." Both girls couldn't help but giggle a bit as he ran up the stairs.


End file.
